April 2011 Navy
From NR NMAWC PAO
As the 21st century continues to unfold and the fullness of its uncertainty looms ahead, clouds gather on the horizon and threaten to obscure the light that is the fragile promise and peace of our world. Set against a geopolitical backdrop of regional instability, extremism, and enhanced competition for natural resources, the collective prosperity of all nations is increasingly at risk from the activities of rogue states, widely dispersed and well-funded terrorist and criminal organizations, nonmilitary, transnational, and asymmetric entities.
In order to combat the threat posed by these non-traditional adversaries as well as to deter major-power war, it is essential that the United States and its allies maintain freedom of movement in the vast maneuver space that comprises the world’s oceans. Access to the littorals, and the protection and control of choke points and major ports, are vital to the forward deployment of our naval forces, our ability to project direct and decisive power ashore, and to the security of the global economy which is fueled in large measure by seaborne commerce. The proliferation, ubiquity and cost effectiveness of sea mines and the possession of advanced submarine technology by an ever-increasing number of countries present a very real challenge to our quest for control of the sea and a significant danger to our naval forces. Consequently, there is perhaps no naval community more central to the United States maritime strategy and concept of sea power than the Naval Mine and AntiSubmarine Warfare Command (NMAWC), commanded by RADM E. S. Hebner, and the supporting Reserve Component, NR NMAWC 0194, commanded by Captain K. R. Garber.
NMAWC develops doctrine and supports the development of tactics, techniques, and procedures as the Mine Warfare (MIW) and AntiSubmarine Warfare (ASW) Center of Excellence. Its efforts are focused across the MIW and ASW mission areas to include resource sponsors, system commands, laboratories, and experimentation initiatives. NMAWC articulates MIW and ASW operational and future readiness capabilities requirements to promote rapid delivery of new technologies and training through support of Sea Shield and Sea Trail; supports the numbered Fleet Commanders in MIW and ASW integrated training and certification; supports MIW and ASW performance assessment at all levels against standardized, common metrics; improves Theater ASW; supports Operational Commanders with: a standing deployable MIW Battle Staff, deployable mine countermeasures staffs, Combatant Commanders’ MIW operational and contingency plan development, and maritime component commander and theater ASW staff support. The MIW Battle Staff, as the Naval Component Commander MIW Commander, will execute delegated Operational Control of Air, Surface, and Underwater Mine Countermeasures Forces. In order to meet these missions, functions and tasks, NMAWC draws upon the MIW and ASW subject matter experts assigned to NR NMAWC 0194. Established October 2008, NR NMAWC 0194 is co-located with the Active Component in San Diego, California.
Moreover, like the Active Component, NR NMAWC is comprised of personnel that hail from each of the warfare communities – surface, subsurface, aviation and information dominance – reflecting the US Navy’s complex and multi-platform approach to MIW and ASW. The central role of NMAWC and NR NMAWC is ensuring Navy-wide competence in those mission areas, and the functional congruence between the Active and Reserve Components. Capitalizing on the varied backgrounds of newly-gained members to NR NMAWC, individuals are assigned either to MIW or ASW as their supported syndicate, and through basic mine warfare qualification (BMQ) and basic antisubmarine warfare qualification (BAQ) course work, boards and under instruction on-the-job training. Information Dominance personnel depending on their designator, complete BAQ/BMQ or the MIW/ASW Intelligence Qualification MIQ/AIQ. Once qualifications (BAQ / BMQ / AIQ / MIQ) are complete, Reserve Component personnel are capable to provide fully integrated and operational support to NMAWC.
At the core of NR NMAWC’s functional capability and success is the leadership and guidance provided by Captain Kenneth R. Garber. Captain Garber, a submariner, was commissioned through OCS after graduating from the University of the Pacific with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Captain Garber went on to complete Naval Nuclear Power School in Orlando, Florida; Naval Nuclear Power Prototype Training in Ballston Spa, New York; and Submarine School in New London, Connecticut. He has since served as Sonar Officer, Reactor Controls Assistant, Main Propulsion Assistant, Assistant Navigator, Engineering Officer, Command Center Watch Officer, Administrative Officer, Training Officer and the Commanding Officer of four different detachments, two squadrons, and the Submarine School San Diego Reserve unit. He has also served as the Officer-in-Charge of the joint command, Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Both the plank owner Commanding Officer, Captain Hank Vitali, and present Commanding Officer, Captain Garber, have imparted, and continue to impart, their vision of support and service to NR NMAWC and have instilled in the command a sense of purpose and obligation. Echoing the Navy Reserve’s motto “Ready Now. Anytime, Anywhere,” NR NMAWC embraces a role supporting NMAWC not only stateside but also overseas and afloat. Day-to-day operational support is provided by NR NMAWC personnel as MIW and ASW subject matter experts for integrated training evolutions, coalition and Joint Force Maritime Component Commander (JFMCC) exercises and experimentation events, as well as for Operational Advisory Groups, and Sea Shield and Sea Strike support. During mobilization, NR NMAWC continues to support the Active Component by providing MIW and ASW subject matter experts to JFMCCs, TASWCs, Strike Group ASWCs, and liaison personnel to other Component Commanders for coalition and joint contingencies worldwide. Day-to-day augment support will be provided towards the numerous exercises which enables NMAWC to support the fleet globally. Such fleet training exercises include: Integrated Antisubmarine Warfare Courses I and II (IACs); Integrated Mine Warfare Courses I and II (IMCs); COMPTUEXs (East and West Coast); Joint Forces Exercises (JTFEXs); Undersea Warfare Exercises (USWEXs); Antisubmarine Warfare Exercises (ASWEXs); Key Resolve; Foal Eagle; Terminal Fury; RIMPAC; and SHAMAL. These fleet exercises provide opportunities for Reserve Component personnel to hone currency into their MIW and ASW warfighting skill sets.
In just over two years since its inception, NR NMAWC has grown and continues to draw highly motivated and skilled officers and enlisted transitioning from the Active Component or from other Reserve commands. NR NMAWC is a unit characterized by readiness, responsiveness and relevance – with a vision, mission and responsibility to meet NMAWC’s augmentation demand signal. Active or Reserve personnel can contact CAPT Jonathan D. Blacker, NR NMAWC CSO, at 619-524-0829, for opportunities to serve in this cutting edge Reserve command.